Method and apparatus for forming reinforced concrete tubular structures.



PATENTED AUG. 13, 1907.

. R. H. AIKEN. 7

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING REINFORCED GONGRETE TUBULAR STRUGIURES. APPLICATION FILED P111311. 190?.

Fil mmgi Mirl Wit woes UNITED STATEj d PATENT UFFICE.

ROBERT HUNTER AIKEN, OF WINTHROP HARBOR, ILLINOIS.

- METHOD AND APPARATUS son roramm'e nsrnroscun concnncrn TUBULAR STRUCTURES.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug-13, 1907.

' Application filed February 11,1907. Serial No. 356,760,

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Forming Reinforced Concrete Tubular Structures, of which the following is a spool-- fication.

This invention relates to the construction of reinforced concrete chimneys, stacks, and the like, and involvcs forming tubular sections in a horizontal position,

to be afterward superposed in vertical position and rigidly united, forming a tubular structure of any de sired height. h

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the forming appara tus and a formed column section. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same devices. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a chimney or column, parts being broken away to show interior construction.

In forming the tubular sections, I employ two spiders, A, removably fixed upon a revolubly mounted horizontal shaft 13 at a distance from each other ap proximately equal to the length of the proposed section. To the arms of cacli spider, and between the two spiders, is secured an annular steel plate, (7, provided with a flange C extending toward the companion spider. The flanges of the two plates are correspondingly perforated at short intervals to receive steel rods, D, parallel to the shaft, extending from one plate to the other and bent at their ends to enter the perforations in the flanges, the hent ends being threaded, if desired, ti) receive nuts to hold them in place. Around the cage formedfby these rods are wound wires, E, at some distanceapart, the plates, rods and wires forming thereinforceiiientfor the concrete to be added.

Within the cage is placed a laterally curved plate, F, extending substantially from one spider to the other and located at a distance within the inner margin of the annular plates dependent upon the thickness desired for the concrete wall to be formed. The width of the curved plate is such that it forms any desired fraction of the inner circumference of the section to' be formed, that fraction, in the drawings, being about one fifth. This curved plate is supported from the shaft by arms F of adjustable length projecting from hubs or sleeves, G, rovolubly fixed upon the shaft. The parts thus far described being in readiness, the curved plate F is brought directlyabove the shaft and concrete is placed upon it in sufficient quantity to completely cover the reinforcing portions to the desired depth, the wires, for example being covered to the depth of an inch or more. The concrete is carefully rammed so that no voids may remain, the thinness of the materiallayer and itshorizontal position making it easy to insure perfect results. lhe-annular steel plates form the ends of this mass, but its lateral margins may be left more or less irregular. When the mass thus put in tance about equal to the width of the mass, the curved plate or form is again brought to position directly over the shaft, and another segment similar to and continuess is repeated until the whole section is completed, and the section is then allowed to further set until it may be handled without danger of breakage, when it is removed from ,the shaft, the spiders are detached, and thesection is rolled away to be stored until fully hardened, or until it is needed for use. s

The shaft may be rotated by means of gearing I without novelty, and accidental rotation may be prevented by one or more pawls J.

to have the stack tapered, and different spiders and forms may be used of course, for sections of different sizes. It follows .that base sections may be made larger than the others, and obviously the sections may be varied from cylindrical or frusto-coni'cal form.

In erecting a stack or tower, the sections may be superposed in succession, as shown in Fig. 3, the annular contiguous end plates being rigidly connected by bolts placed in the holes which served for securing the plates of the bolts and afterward filled with cement, so that no metal is left exposed.

When the sections are not too large to allow shipcars or otherwise, and the time required in erecting a stack, for example, is extremely short, and the space required for the work is insignificant.

The construction readily admits of forming windows or other openings in the structure, or of building the walls double by using concentric sections of differing diameters, and the continuous steel frame lends itself perfectly to protection against lightning. It may also be observed that the finish or surface of the work ay be simple or elaborate, and in either case it may ho better-done because the surface is in a practically horizontal position, and besides, the whole is integral and homogeneous there being no imperfectly u ilcd surface layer as there is when the wall is formed between form siufaccs of wood or metal and plastered after the forms have been removed.

What I claim is:-

l. The method of forming concrete slack sections u'hlch consists in rcvoluhly mounting a metal reinforcing frame upon a horizontal axis, placing within the amon removable concrete receiving form, molding upon this 'l'o'im above to the spiders, small cavities being left for the insertion ment, they may be made at the quarry and shipped on place has set slightly, the cage is turned through a disone with the first is formed in like manner. This proc- The spiders may be of unequal size if it be desired ihe i'ranm sc-wmeni '02 the mucksectimi, pun 1h! frame 1': time to time anu adding id form.

tinns whirh in ru'.-'.-hil1i v mounting :1 tubular. m0 nil, minim-0 m. \a'iih Us :1 mm. pus ion, mourning Within mid i'l'zuiw ruizmvnhlo, mr-urviv-receivin; [arm in position in Sliilllul'f nmhiii 21A :1. ruiui up; Hr: storing Lllt' form in proper molding position, :1; i) muld im; (olu'rriu upon the iurm to Widen the SEgllHZii ulru (ly formml. fllil'il lllflf, ihv prm uniil Lhv suvtion is conr plMmL and Mpni'niiili; llw amnphai d scciion irmn tho Sui purting; Mruriurv, *nmmmiullv h R. 'lh-y nwihml 01 r :nntr te slnclc 'wtinns which iuhnlzu' mg: of met-(11mreinforcing ingmix a, arm-11mm: he ml position. 1111' rumry IHOYVJHUIH, F'H'Hl'illj: \rirhiu lhn 1'; ;:e a renmvnhlu, 0011mmwrirrivinu' form. mum umn (he form above in: ggmrni' vnvninpim: r3 (:0 rewondi1rst 1mrlmli. nshis by Pointing il Page, adding mmcreic in like manner to progrex 013 which ilm svg'meni \miil the Sifllti lll is completed, and re moving ihv 'trmipleiwl SCClilll'i from the supporting structiiru i. 'ihluniiileiiu iion with a rm'ulubiy mounted horizontal shui'i. iii a. spider fixed [.0 [he slmf! :1 second parallel runmvuhly iixml ix.) ihe shaft at some distance flQlll the lil'b'i, mid mi innh-poiuluiii. segmental Iorm adjustably muumvd llimfl Lhr shall? between the spiders and less dismm from {he sluii'l than may the ends of the spider arms.

The runihinzition with ii revolubly mounted horizontal shaft, of hm spiders dotnchably fixed upon the shaft at some (iislzmcv from each other and adapted to siipportu moral roinfnrring form extending from one to the other, an huh-pendent, concrete-sumwring form between said spi dcrs. and arm?- of adjustable length supporting said form 'zind revohibly adjustable about said shaft.

in l'esiimony whereof i have signed my name to this spvciiicai'ion in ihe presence of two subscribing wltnessw ROBERT HUNTER AIKEN. 

